The new controlled traffic light and crosswalk on Irving Street between Wangari Gardens and the Washington Hospital Center is nearing completion. Its long been difficult to cross the street at this intersection, making this improvement all the more needed.
(Early rendering showing one potential design by Victory Housing.)
On July 12, at separate meetings, both Advisory Neighborhood Commissions 4C and 1A recommended Victory Housing & Brinshore Development as their primary choice for the development team to redevelop the former Hebrew Home property at 1125 Spring Road into a mixed income/multi-generational community. The two Commissions differed on their second choices.
Both Commissions felt that the Victory Housing proposal “meets the shared community priority of providing 88 units of dedicated, affordable senior housing in the former Hebrew Home. It also provides the largest number of affordable, family-sized units of any of the proposals as well with 29 three-bedroom rental units. In addition, it proposes home ownership opportunities along Spring Road NW. It also provides 75 underground parking spaces, with approximately 1.8 parking spaces for each 3 units of non-senior housing.”
The Commissions’ recommendations will be sent to the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED), where the final decision on selecting a development team will be determined.
The Commissions differed on their second choices. ANC4C’s second choice was the NHP Foundation, Fivesquares Development, and Warrenton Group. ANC 1A’s second choice, on the other hand, was the Bozzuto Homes proposal. ANC 1A further selected the Mission First proposal as its third choice. (read ANC 1A resolution at goo.gl/RChVH3 ).
DMPED is expected to select a development team prior to the July 27, 2017 public meeting scheduled to present the District’s intent to declare the Hebrew Home surplus. The meeting’s purpose is to receive comments on the proposed designation of 1125 Spring Road, NW, as surplus property. The surplus meeting is held in order to receive feedback from the community on the District’s finding that the property is no longer required for public purposes. Comments collected at the public meeting will be submitted to the Council of the District of Columbia for its review.
The date, time, and location of the surplus meeting is below:
Date: Thursday, July 27, 2017
Time: 7:00 pm-8:30 pm
Location: Raymond Recreation Center
3725 10th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20010
(Councilmember Jim Graham participating in the ribbon cutting ceremony for the new field renovations at the Park View Recreation Center on March 23, 2013).
Last week, we learned the very sad news of the passing of former Ward 1 Councilmember Jim Graham. The DC Council has announced the following schedule for those wanting to say their final farewells — and I know there are many in the community:
Former Councilmember Jim Graham Farewell
Friday, June 23, 2017
Councilmember Graham’s body will lay in state at the Wilson Building from noon to 5PM.
Program Begins at Noon with the arrival of remains. Elected Officials, Dignitaries and Special Guests will deliver remarks.
* Bow Ties Encouraged
Saturday, June 24, 2017
The Viewing and Religious Services for Councilmember Graham will be held at All Souls Unitarian Church (1500 Harvard Street, NW). The Viewing will be at 10AM, and the Religious Services will begin at noon. Immediately following the services, there will be a repast in the Church’s Multi-Purpose Room. Food and soft drinks will be available. Bow Ties are encouraged.
Flowers and cards may be sent to: Bacon Funeral Home, 3447 14th Street NW, Washington DC 20010
Many in the District knew Jim from his days as Executive Director of Whitman-Walker, and later as Councilmember for Ward 1. He was known as a fierce advocate for residents, particularly for those who needed an advocate the most. His years of service meant that there were few whose lives he hadn’t touched.
Over the past ten years in my service to the community, likewise, I found Jim extremely supportive of community priorities and someone that was eager to work with community members to achieve a better quality of life for all.
From my personal experience along Georgia Avenue, the Councilmember I knew and worked with was actively engaged with the community and MPD on issues of public safety, he was instrumental in getting the Ward 1 Senior Wellness Center on Georgia Avenue, and his support was critical in securing the land for the first phase of the Park Morton New Communities effort at Georgia and Newton. These are a few examples of the progress he brought to Ward 1, with each neighborhood having examples equally impressive to add to the list.
Projects that I was proud to work particularly close with Jim on included the Park View Recreation Center and Park View School. He lent his support to ensure that the Park View recreation center would have a new soccer field, basketball court, exercise area, and playground equipment instead of just a baseball field that no one asked for or wanted. He also supported the renovation of the small historic field house at the rec center. At the school, Jim toiled to achieve a larger phase one modernization of the Park View School building than the city originally planned or wanted to provide.
His passion for Ward 1 and a love of its people, cultures, and history was something we shared and frequently discussed.
I know I speak for many when I say that Ward 1 has not just lost someone who gave his all to ensure that every resident had a brighter future, but also a close and dear friend.
(The former Hebrew Home and Robeson School site at 1125 Spring Road.)
Last week, seven development teams briefly presented their ideas on how the old Hebrew Home property could be developed to increase housing, and affordable housing, to the Petworth, Columbia Heights, Park View area. Based on the presentations (and Powerpoint presentations) in the previous blog post, what are your general impressions? Feel free to leave comments and ideas not covered by the following three polls.
Architecturally, which proposal did you like best?
How many units should the project create?
What types of affordability is important to you?
The former Trinity A.M.E. Church on Morton Street.
While walking along Morton Street a few days ago, I noticed a very nice touch on the former church building at 777 Morton Street. The church was converted to condos as part of the Morton Street Mew’s project, and was originally constructed in 1905 by architect William Sidney Pittman. The original cornerstone for the building was moved to the church building at 625 Park Rd. M
With the original cornerstone missing from the building, the developer has created a new one to help reveal the history of the building. See photo of new memorial below.
(New cornerstone on church building documenting original architect and congregation.)
Though not moving forward as quickly as the Brick Lane development at Georgia and Lamont, the development at Georgia Avenue and Otis Place appears to be getting ready to begin as well. I noticed that a plywood barrier was recently constructed on Georgia Avenue to protect pedestrians from construction debris. This is a marked change from what the site looked like a year ago.
WMATA placed sandbags around the ventilation shafts at Georgia Avenue and New Hampshire Avenue to prevent flooding at the Georgia Avenue Station.
Evictions Headed for Nuisance Property on Rock Creek Church Road – Yesterday a judge ruled at landlord/tenant court that a writ of repossession be issued at 805 Rock Creek Church Road, NW, to rid the community of another drug nuisance property. The next step will be to serve the occupants with an order to vacate (Petworth News).
Woman Kidnapped from Petworth Bus Stop – A woman was kidnapped around 1 p.m. Tuesday as she was waiting for a bus outside the Georgia Avenue Metro Station at the corner of New Hampshire Avenue and Georgia Avenue. Two men forced her into a vehicle, asked her where she lived and then drove to her Hyattsville, Maryland residence where the suspects stole valuables and cash from the residence and then fled (NBC4, WTOP, WJLA).
Union Drinkery Now Open – The long anticipated Union Drinkery has opened at 3216 Georgia Avenue. From the same folks behind A&D in Shaw and Park View’s Small Fry, Union Drinkery is a self-described “no-frills neighborhood bar” (Borderstan, New Columbia Heights)
Concerns Over Adams Morgan Hotel Project’s Hiring Requirements Has D.C. Officials Reviewing Tax Incentives – After a week of reviewing a hotel developer’s failure to date to hire residents for construction jobs under the terms of a $46 million tax break, D.C.’s finance officials are preparing to pull the benefit if the company doesn’t make up for its shortfalls in the near future (Washington City Paper).
"The territory comprising Park View extends from Gresham Street north to Rock Creek Church Road, and from Georgia Avenue to the Soldiers' Home grounds, including the triangle bounded by Park Road, Georgia Avenue, and New Hampshire Avenue" (from Directory and History of Park View, 1921.)
Metrorail disruptions WUSA-TV – DC News Washington Business Journal
